Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-08

! likely to strike water here than else
where, though at greater depth, and re-
cent experiences 60 far to prove it. My
intention was TO gather what facts snd
statistics l could bearing on the subject
here in Texas, and for that purpose
requested our honored secretary TO send
out INQUIRIES TO our members throughout
the state soliciting such information, but
the result has not been satisfactory
Either there is
LITTLE MATERIAL FOR INFORMATION
as yet, or we have not approached the
proper parties TO get it. The fact is, that
no systematic work has been done in
this direction in our state until very re-
Gently, and little has been known prac-
tically Of what there is in store for US I'M
derground. Enough has been done, how
ever, in a practical way, especially quite
recently. and outside Of geological theor-
les and probabilities, to warrant the as
sertion that water can be found in nearly
ell parts Of the state by boring for it,
when the work is prosecuted by persons
Of some experience and with due regard
TO geological conditions. We find that
failures were much more frequent in the
past than they are now. This is not be-
cause there was less water un6er our feet
then, but because there is more science
| brought to bear on the subject now. Re
cent attempts in various parts of the
state to obtain water in abundance by ar
tesian wells have almost invariably
proved successful, as witness the results
at Galveston, at Fort Worth, Hearne, Cal
vert end Navasota, and the splendid sue
cess recently obtained near PeCos City,
where the water spOuts up many feet il
the air, and is found at moderate depth
anywhere one may bore for it. As you
ell remember 8 company was organized
there not long ago for the purpose of ir-
rigating the entire valley of the PecOs,
but as they required some rights and
| franchises at the hands of the legislature,
and that conservative body, rs was to be
expected, refused to have anything to do
with public improvements of any kind, l
presume the scheme has fallen through
for the present. But if it is true that
REVOLUTIONS NEVER GO BACKWARD,
we will hear from it again in one shape or
another before long, and the thing will
yet be done. Indeed believe that one Of
the features of our agricultural regenera-
ton, as here limited at will be the organi-
zatIon of strong companies capable of
doing this work for the farmer much
cheaper than he can do IL himself. One
of the greatest drawbacks, the cost Of
boring wells, will be greatly diminished
the more they are brought into use. Thus,
it will cost s great deal to bring skilled
workmen and machinery 10 s given place,
70 bore only one well, but if dozen or
more are contracted for in the vicinity,
the price Of each will greatly decrease.
1t Is something analogous to the printing
Of book. 1t costs great deal 10 set up
the type, but once set, each copy OF the
book will cost but trihe. The worst OF
all decisions, and the most misChievOus,
would be that Of depending on the state
that is, the politicians, for any help what
ever II this connection, or indeed in any
matter requiring wisdom and foresight or
the application of scientific principles to
the practical affairs Of life. What could
you expect of set of legislators who
would have nothing to do with the geo
logical survey Of the state, because they
could not understand geological terms?
Yet even there they were not consistent, |
because, if they hsd strictly sbstaineG
from dealing with ali subjects they did
not understand, they would have made q
far better record than they did, even
though no further additions he'd been
made to the statute book, The conclu-
sion to be drawn from all this is really |
the sole object and excuse OF this paper, |
and it is Ito repeat what l have Glready |
said at the beginning that Texas
FARMERS AND STOCK RAISERs
have remedy in their own hands for the |
only drawback to their business, the pc |
riodicsl drouths. We have an abundance |
of rich land, 8 desirable climate and |
plenty OF rainfall at one time or another, |
but the question is to equalize the pro-
duct of the rainfall, so that in time of |
drouth we can utilize the surplus water |
that falls at other seasons. This has !
been done in other countries less favored |
than ours, and where nature unaSsisted |
cannot be relied upon TO produce any
thing at ell, and why can it not be done
here, where nature has done so much |
already, and where in spite Of the serious
drawbacks complained of, agricultural |
development has made wonderful pro- |
gress? For we are not in the categOries |
of countries depending entirely on |
irrigation or any artificial means for
en- average measure of prosperity. We |
have only to provide for occasional |
lapses, and, like the wise physician,
we need only help nature at times ana |
not attempt 10 supplant it to bring
about the best result. Long drouths
are not frequent in Texas, but crops are
more frequently ruined by "dTy spells" CT
short duration occurring 81 critical times,
as was the case last summer in regard to
the cotton crop. What we want is some
means to bridge over short spells like
these, rather than prepare very elaborate
and expensive systems OF irrigation, such
as have been perfected il more arid coun-
tries. Therefore, with US the undertaking
is not so gigantic as it has been else
where, and admits of more gradual de-
California, especially the
southern part of it, receives less rainfall
annually than Western Texas does. The
annual rainfall at San Antonio, average Of
seven years observation, isl 1898 inches,
while in the Los Angeles and San Bernard
inc valley it is 10 inches, yet the value of
lands in the two localities is as to so in
favor of the latter country.
PRIN CIPALLY DUE TO IRRIGATION.
There were up to 1880 over $50 artesian
wells flowing in the valleys of Los An
geles and San Bernardino alone, for irri-
eating purposes, and, judging by the
wonderful development going on recently
in that country, their number must have
greatly increased since. In fact, irriga-